Indira Reddy
Aug 22, 2017 · 3 min read

Let’s take this point by point.

  1. I am not trying to clarify any of the points you made. I was calling you out for trying to belittle another community’s pain. That is not right — under any circumstance. My point still stands — saying that African-Americans got “gold” is demeaning to their struggle. If you cannot empathise with it because your struggle is foremost in your mind, please do not speak about it.
  2. Slavery in the Indian Subcontinent — yes. It exists, as does misogyny. I am not saying it doesn’t. And no, I have not read the writing that you mentioned. It seems to be publication from the institute you are quoting in your name as are a few other links. So, you’ll forgive me if I take that with a boat load of salt — it seems to be a marketing ploy.
  3. Gun violence in the US — One, I do not live in the US, so I am not qualified to comment about the actual happenings. Two, many others have spoken up against gun violence and racism against Indians and other nationalities on articles I have seen. Three, racism against Indians or Indian-Americans does not mean that racism against African-Americans does not exist.
  4. “The feeling of racism comes only when both are allowed on the same level of He / She.” — That is utter bullshit. Have you ever studied any European language other than English? They have the same familiar (avan-aval in Tamil, il-elle in French) and respectful forms (avar/avanga in Tamil, vous in French). Are you trying to tell me that racism doesn’t exist in all of Europe? Please read a history of the African subcontinent before you make that statement. Second, the Indian version of racism is called casteism — but they both end up being the same — the subjugation and/or discrimination of a set of human beings based on arbitrary rules; be it skin colour or caste.
  5. “In English nations all populations and individuals arrive at an equal platform.” — I do not understand this statement. Have you experienced this personally? The experience of a whole host of others would contradict this statement.
  6. beaten up into a pulp in the local police station.” — Please google violence against African-Americans and I’m sure you’ll find multiple instances of the same.
  7. “their native-land sub-human culture.” — Really? This makes me gag. Urgh! Is it worse than a place that systematically discriminates against most of it’s population — either by caste or by gender?
  8. “Racism cannot be enforced on anyone who does not want to force oneself into another people’s area.” — Welp! That’s it. Ask all the Caucasians to leave the land to the original American-Indians and go back to Europe. Problem solved!
  9. “They could have all been taken back to Africa.” — They are humans, not cattle who can be transported back and forth on the whims of other humans.
  10. “The experience of slavery is different in Asia and other parts” — Yes. Every place on this planet experiences it differently, but one place’s experience does not negate the other place’s experience.
  11. “in the subcontinent there might not be much mention of all these things at all” — This is a fight in progress. You can aid in this process by refusing to treat people differently based on where they are from and by educating people on what they are doing wrong.
  12. “This is a terrible thing. Oscillating between feudal languages and English.” — You are using both languages too, aren’t you? I like speaking in my mother tongue (Tamil) as much as I like speaking in English — the language of business in India and something I have been speaking since I was a child. I speak a few other languages too. Each language has it’s own beauty. Why don’t you try to find it? I can assure you that it will open up your mind to a universe of possibilities. No culture, no language is all good or all bad — take the good, change the bad if you can or disown the bad stuff.

Finally, I think there are two sides, one which stands up for all humanity and the other that discriminates. I stand for the first — irrespective of everything, who they are, where they’re from, what they faced. That’s all.

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Indira Reddy

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Endlessly fascinated by how 26 simple symbols can say so much…

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